Chili Maple Rosemary Carnitas

Once you've got yourself on a healthful diet, and gotten yourself in great physical shape, then consider Carnitas.  They are the quintessential Mexican dish, but honestly, on the fatty side, so pump some iron first - then enjoy!  This is a great dish to serve bike racers - and oh hey, that's what we did when our son's racing team came for a visit.

Carnitas need to be cooked in fat - not a lot of water.  They should caramelize, not braise.  Addition of acidic orange juice helps break down the meat, so they pull apart readily with a fork.  Don't recoil from the cooking fat; you'll strain the meat and then broil it to crisp it up.  Most of the fat will be left behind and you'll be left with delicious, spicy and meltingly tender meat for tostadas, enchiladas or burritos.  Or even for omelets before a big race.

5-7 lb pork butt, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp chili powder or Cajun spice mix
2 onions, diced
1 jalapeño, diced
2 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp rosemary
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup orange juice
about 1-2 cups water

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a large bowl, toss together the pork and the chili (or Cajun spice).  Heat a few tablespoons canola oil in a large Dutch oven. Brown the pork pieces in several batches,setting pork aside in a bowl as you go.

 

 Add a bit more canola oil if necessary to the pot and sauté the onion and pepper for 6-8 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown.  Add the garlic, rosemary and the cumin and cook another 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.  Add the maple syrup and orange juice, and add just enough water, to almost cover the meat.

Cover Dutch oven and place in oven.  Cook for an hour.  Uncover pot, stir gently and cook uncovered for another 30-45 minutes, until the mixture starts to dry out just a bit, and flakes apart with a fork.  There will still be a lot of fat - don't worry, you will remove the meat away from the fat.

Using a slotted spoon and a lot of patience, remove the pork from the pot, leaving the fat behind, and spread out on a baking sheet.  Break pork apart a bit with a fork.  Broil in oven for a short period, just to crisp pork up a bit.  Serve with warm tortillas, or use in tostadas or enchiladas.  A great way to present carnitas is with several toppings so diners can create their own tostadas or burritos.

Alternatively, serve on rice with beans on the side.  Serves 8.